Suberb Owl XLVI: So you don't have to...

Last year I wrote a few entries about my (lacking) ability to watch and, here the most important bit, fully comprehend the superbowl.
Now, I love the superbowl, I really do, it's an awesome thing. What it probably isn't is a great game of American Football... chances are that it'll be a bit of a let down sporting wise. But that doesn't matter. it's a celebration of something goddammit, something about America or just about winning, or maybe it's an awesome padded suit wearing confused metaphor for the economic meltdown of recent years. Yes; it's that last one definitely.

A few things might cause this to be a short lived track of the "action"... boredom is one, maybe not boredom with the game but boredom with writing about the game - the actual throwing and catching and not-catching and homo-erotic undercurrents of the game itself are sometimes so dull that to be able to relate to others what is happening you have to have an IQ below 60 and a job presenting American Football games, probably on some Fox Network sports show.
The other thing that will scuper this is a very real lack of sleep. this is most likely. I've been up since before 8am, after getting 5 hours sleep, and would try to catch some Zeds right now if I wasn't so super pumped about the game.

Apologies for the superb owl ref - might not be the only repeating observation from last years "expert commentary" - right; am off to find out what XLVI means.

It's the battle of the News this year - New England Patriots vs New York Giants.
Surely this is an ideological clash between two cornerstones of USAsianism; loving your country and really big things.

So we know who's playing now... next question is who to support.
Supporting a team isn't something to decide upon lightly... everyone knows someone who went to school in Surrey and who supported Liverpool after checking the 1st Division table back in 1984. That person had NO RIGHT to pick and chose a team based upon who was doing really well. they should have stuck with the watching AFC Guildford on two Saturdays with their Dad before deciding that soccerball was the worst thing ever and instead turning to unhealthy pursuits such as reading and science.
Um, where was I?... so people need some sort of tie to the club (or the franchise) or the city. Their support should never wane, it should be an eternal pact, for better or worse, and they should be able to defend their team to the hilt. The very hilt.

I've picked up some Samuel Adams beer from my corner shop and the brewery is in Boston... key Patriots country (I think) so I am for the next 24 hours - or at least until the end of the first quarter - I am a Patriots fan. Born and bred.

A lifelong sporting affiliation based on an alcoholic beverage seems perfectly logical to me.
I've bailed out from watching the owl, still being emotionally drained from witnessing my much-maligned Greens snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on Saturday - but good luck with the marathon !

Right, we've covered the beer... but equally important is the food. Although food isn't the right word. Snacks. My local corner shop didn't have a great collection of starch based potato(ish) products. So I went with the one with the most amusing name; Paprika flavoured Lays. Basically two things to know; 'Lays' are the Turkish version of 'Walkers'; and my local shop stocks a very limited range of amusingly named crisps.

More food on the go; fries (not chips) and onion rings. That should do.

Samuel Adams beer is pretty good for lager - and it has "Brewer - Patriot" written on it. That's a sign that Patriots will win by a close 6 points. £20 says it's so.
NE defence seemed to sort their shit out pretty quickly - kinda impressed by the last few plays being locked out.

1st quarter is done people. It's over. It's not coming back... NE may well wish they could re-do. NY 9 - 0 NE.
This does mean we are half way through the first half... and one step closer to the potential horror show of Madonna jerking around and singing.

A good idea when watching the Superbowl is to book the next day off work. I did not remember to do this. Fortunately my boss is OK when I turn up slightly drunk and very tired... I'm lucky, a lot of the other managers at air traffic control are much harsher...

Good half time show - best one for a few years... Like a Prayer doesn't get aired often - great song and even truncated version gives me goosebumps. Wasn't expecting Vogue - bit too partisan; a NY song through and through.
Happily give that a 4/5.

Quite enjoying this game now... NE have the advantage. BBC bloke calls the touchdown a 'try' - close but no cigar... but reminds me to say a big WOO for the Wales win earlier today.
NY are going to need to punish with offence within next 5 minutes of play...

NY get 4 pts back - but next play - Jason Pierre Paul is hurt... if he gets taken off for any number of plays then that is a big loss to NY, cus JPP has been responsible for some great disruptive play and general annoyance to NE.